How long can a funeral home hold a body before cremation?

Table of Content

• Save Money on a Funeral by Buying the Casket Online
• What happens if you don’t pay the funeral bill?
• Laws for Funeral Homes Holding Bodies Before a Burial or Cremation
• The Pandemic Delayed Funeral Services
• What is the average time between death and funeral?
• Can a funeral home hold a body if you don’t pay?
• How much will it cost to delay the funeral?

Overall, you can delay the embalming process for as long as you need to ensure it is the right choice. A body can be refrigerated for three to four weeks until it needs embalming. However, some state laws prohibit families from viewing bodies refrigerated for longer than a specified amount of time without embalming.

A copy of the order must be retained by the signer and a copy sent to the crematory if designated. The signer may revoke the order or change the designation of the crematory, and must provide written notice of the action to the operator of the crematory if designated. If the coroner or designee reasonably believes that the part may be involved in determining the decedent’s cause or manner of death, deny recovery by the procurement organization. “Reasonably available” means able to be contacted by a procurement organization without undue effort and willing and able to act in a timely manner consistent with existing medical criteria necessary for the making of an anatomical gift.

Save Money on a Funeral by Buying the Casket Online

States also implement these wait times to ensure that families do not rush cremation for someone while their cause of death remains a mystery. This can help give investigators and morticians time to decide the cause of death and if there was any foul play involved. While laws may vary from state to state regarding embalming and refrigeration, to put it simply, there is no set time period in which a funeral has to occur. That naturally means that every funeral is different, but an experienced funeral director will know just how to plan for each situation and time frame. Next, the undergarments are put on the body. These are supplied by the family, but the funeral director can provide suggestions to ensure they choose something suitable.

This delay varies from state to state and can be found in the table below. Before we get into the laws, let’s look at why people might want to, or have to, delay the burial and other funeral arrangements. If the reason for delaying a funeral is an inability to accept that the death has occurred, just know that the funeral marks just the beginning of your grief journey.

What happens if you don’t pay the funeral bill?

Decomposition will begin within days, so it’s essential to start preserving the body. Laws for obtaining a death certificate vary across states. Taking out a personal loan should be a decision you take seriously, especially if it’s for funeral expenses. Many personal loans have high interest rates that make them difficult to pay back in a timely manner. Personal loans can be useful, especially if you know you’ll be able to pay them off before the interest becomes a problem.

“Cremation” means the technical process that reduces human remains to bone fragments by using alkaline hydrolysis or incineration. “Container” means a vessel, whether or not a casket, in which human remains are placed for cremation. Processing of the hydrolyzed human remains after their removal from the container in which the process of dissolution occurs. Facilitation of anatomical gift from decedent whose body is under jurisdiction of coroner. Cooperation between coroner and procurement organization. “Health-care decision” means any decision made regarding the health care of the prospective donor.

Laws for Funeral Homes Holding Bodies Before a Burial or Cremation

Sometimes, the family hires a professional hairdresser to prepare their loved one’s hair in a particular style. Otherwise, the hair is arranged simply and neatly to ensure there are no tangles. If the body is going to undergo an eco-burial in a green cemetery, it will have to be refrigerated, as embalming is not allowed.

If you decide to take out a personal loan, make sure you do as much research as possible. It's also a good idea to have a lawyer or financial expert look over the terms of the loans to ensure that you're not being taken advantage of and that the decision is a sound one. Oftentimes, family and friends are in search of ways they can offer support after someone has suffered a loss. This can come in the form of flowers, words, letters, food, and just being present if needed, but it also comes in the form of donations. If just ten people out of your community donated $10 each, you’d already have $100, enough to almost cover some of the larger expenses related to a funeral.

With limited time, most of us would prefer that it be spent in a comfortable, recognizable location, perhaps even at home. Like time, life is limited and we all pass away sooner or later. When we lose a loved one, we, again, are constricted with time.

For non-service related deaths, the VA will cover up to $796 of funeral expenses, provided the veteran was in the care of the VA at the time of death. For service-related deaths, the VA will cover up to $2,000 in funeral expenses. Since most funeral homes require some form of payment upfront, not paying the funeral bill would prevent you from having services. This could mean that the funeral home refuses to do services for you, refuses your business, or suggests you go to a different firm. If you were able to find a funeral home that did not require payment up front and you find yourself unable to pay for the services after the fact, you should be prepared to discuss payment options with your chosen funeral home. Some funeral directors may be more forgiving than others, and all funeral directors prefer some form of payment compared to no payment at all.

I’ve done a lot of research into this for myself and so I will help guide you in the article below and help you to make this process as easy as possible. The Apayo from the northern Philippines bring their lost ones home for eternity and bury their dead under the kitchen floor. These units have small windows in and around the face of the body and can thus grant the grievers a look at the loved one while they say goodbye. Furthermore, this option is most likely not an option for those that intend to keep the body as a home for the viewing, as they won’t have a suitable refrigerator.

The average time between death and the funeral is three to seven days in the U.S. This can vary from state to state or city to city. Scheduling a funeral may be more difficult in large cities, but smaller towns may get you into a church or funeral home sooner. You can first try to get aid from the government and then local charities, usually some are able to help you.